As is known, arrows are typically fletched near the trailing edge of the arrow in order to provide stability in flight. The fletching typically comprises feather or plastic vanes that are adhered to the external margin of the arrow shaft. The fletching may be straight or left handed offset or right handed offset. With straight fletching, the plane in which the vane lies intersects the longitudinal axis of the arrow. Such fletching does not induce arrow rotation when in flight. The more preferable type of fletching is either the right handed offset or the left handed offset. In those cases, the plane in which the vane lies is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the arrow and cuts the longitudinal axis of the arrow at a single point. Such fletching presents a certain side of the vane to the airstream flowing over the arrow during flight. The airstream generates a greater force on the side of the vane that is presented to the airstream as compared to the opposite side of the vane, i.e., the side of the vane that is not presented to the air stream. This force tends to advantageously rotate the arrow during flight. Such rotation tends to stabilize the arrow in flight. Rotation will be either CW or CCW as a function the fletching being either right handed offset or left handed offset.
At the opposite end of the shaft of the arrow from the fletching is the arrowhead. For use in hunting, the arrowhead may be of the type commonly known as a broadhead. Such broadheads typically have an elongate shank to which is attached between 1 and 5 cutting blades. In most cases, the plane of a particular blade is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the arrow and coincidentally of the broadhead. In this configuration, the arrangement of the blade or blades likely fights the desired arrow rotation. However, the plane of the blade may also offset or spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the broadhead. In such cases, the blades may either be offset to the right or to the left and, where matched to the right handed offset or left handed offset fletching, may augment the rotational motion of the arrow that is imparted to the arrow by the fletching during flight.
In the past, an archer had to either obtain a right hand offset broadhead or a left hand offset broadhead to match the specific type of fletching on the arrows used. This was an inconvenience to the providers of broadheads in that they had to produce two different kinds of offset broadheads. This was also an inconvenience to broadhead resellers, as they had to carry double inventory. In addition, the end users were confused as to what broadheads to select to match the fletching on the arrows that they used. There is therefore a need in the industry for a broadhead having an offset blade configuration in which the blades of a single broadhead are interchangeable in order to provide a right hand offset and a left hand offset as desired.